Any charity taking soft toys?

I have some soft toys which were never used. They are in good condition. Anywhere I can take them?

Any charity shop would like to have them... Also some animal charities like to have them... The pawed people sometimes like a cuddly... Well, they're only human, you know!.....

also primary school or nursery schools might like them

Many charities won't take them unless they're brand new, due to possible contamination - I know children's hospital won't.

When I was clearing out my childhood room a few years back, I found someone who took soft toys, got them professionally cleaned, and sent them to an orphanage in Eastern Europe. Would you like me to look up the contact details?

I think sometimes animal shelters take them as toys for dogs if you can't get rid of them anywhere else.

Ciaraella said:

I think sometimes animal shelters take them as toys for dogs if you can't get rid of them anywhere else.

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Yeah the DSPCA definitely take them - as you can imagine, the average soft toy doesn't last too long up there

My usual Charity shop doesn't take toys. Barnardos doesn't take soft toys. These are very clean - my own children didn't even play with them. They would be too good to give to animals to play with but I'll keep that in mind if I have anything suitable.

TheBear - would you mind looking up the contact details for Eastern Europe. Thanks to everyone.

Has anyone donated cuddly toys to any charity shop recently? I have about 50 or so that I need to dispose of.

There must be a way of routing these to incoming immigrant families with young children.
I know there was something set up at the start of the Ukraine crisis, but only read about it somewhere, I dont recall the details.

Laramie said:

Has anyone donated cuddly toys to any charity shop recently? I have about 50 or so that I need to dispose of.

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Especially since Covid a lot of the charity shops don't want soft toys so the animal shelter option is probably a better bet.

AndroidMan said:

There must be a way of routing these to incoming immigrant families with young children.

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One of the empty offices in Blackrock, Co. Dublin was converted recently to take incoming immigrants. I have a child's bed, buggy, travel cot plus numerous cuddly toys to give away. They were not interested.

There must be half a dozen at least charity shops in my town and only one takes toys, they also take electrical stuff which none of the others seems to do either. I've got a couple of great bargains in there! Anyway I just happened to be passing yday so strolled in for a look and the lady working there started telling me they just can't sell the toys/bikes/car seats/prams etc they are being given so I'm wondering how long they will keep taking them, no one wants secondhand stuff apparently. Mind you I explained that very few people if any would purchase a secondhand baby car seat for various reasons but she was just after getting in a fine one with that clip in security thingy whatever it's called.

It's a shame really for anything that can be washed if needs be before use, I've given away a load of toys to there already, transformer things that cost a lot when new but don't know if they were ever sold or just dumped eventually. I would willingly have given them to someone who wanted them but I have tried to give away stuff before on a local Free to good home page but honestly the entitlement is unbelieveable, not enough that you are giving it away but want it delivered too! Did get rid of a couple of bikes but other good stuff I just had to dump eventually.

TheBear said:

Many charities won't take them unless they're brand new, due to possible contamination - I know children's hospital won't.

When I was clearing out my childhood room a few years back, I found someone who took soft toys, got them professionally cleaned, and sent them to an orphanage in Eastern Europe. Would you like me to look up the contact details?

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I would like details please if they are still operating.